Manchester United hero Dwight Yorke is baffled by the club’s interest in Joshua Zirkzee.
Rasmus Hojlund shouldered the burden of finding the back of the net for United last season and the youngster needs competition in his position to ease that responsibility.
United will sign a forward in this summer transfer window and Bologna striker Zirkzee, who is a product of Bayern Munich’s academy, has been heavily linked.
Bologna defied the odds to finish in the Italian top four last term, enjoying their best season since 1968. Zirkzee finished the campaign as their top goalscorer with 11 goals and earned a late call-up to the Netherlands squad for this summer’s European Championship in Germany.
Zirkzee is believed to have a release clause of £34million, with United, Arsenal and AC Milan all said to be interested, but former striker Yorke doesn’t think that should be triggered.
“Names like Joshua Zirkzee being linked to Man United is baffling. They need a player who can definitely score goals,” said Yorke in an interview with Best Payout Online Slots.
“They need someone who knows how to play in the Premier League. Why would you need 23-year-old Zirkzee when you have 21-year-old Rasmus Hojlund already at the club?
“Erik ten Hag needs an experienced man at striker alongside Hojlund, as he obviously struggled towards the end of last season. Niclas Fullkrug is one of those experienced strikers who has been smashing in the goals lately. But, he needs to be the right character.
“To be at United, you need to show resilience and not a weak mentality, that’s what Sir Alex Ferguson was good at finding. That’s why I think Hojlund needs to grow up very quickly.
“The honeymoon period is over for him and if he doesn’t hit the ground running next season, he will come under a lot of scrutiny. You have to be a man to play at United.”
Yorke continued: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to focus on signing players as a structure rather than an individual who can take you to success. I think Man United have to start at Jarrad Branthwaite and try to lower the average age of the squad to around 25 years old.
“Obviously, keep the experience of Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes in the team, but the rest of the team should be young and developing.
“Unless United can bring in a world-class signing that creates a buzz in the atmosphere, like signing Jamal Musiala. That could be enough to give the team the belief to achieve success.
“But, I don’t see United make those amazing signings anymore, Paul Pogba was probably the last time I said ‘Wow, what a signing’. Man United used to sign Wayne Rooney, Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie, and even me, people were excited about those names and now they’re spending £85m on Antony. Man United need to sign a player like Musiala that can create that buzz.”
Zirkzee has been increasingly linked with a move to Old Trafford but a stumbling block could be the hefty agent fee that will be attached to the transfer.
The 23-year-old is represented by Sports Invest UK, the agency led by Kia Joorabchian, who was responsible for orchestrating Carlos Tevez’s departure from United.
It’s claimed Sports Invest UK want €12m to broker a deal for Zirkzee this summer and that is the sort of agent fee Ratcliffe will be reluctant to meet.